"Just when it seems the A's disabled list reaches full capacity, there turns out to be room for another member.

Right-hander Ben Sheets was placed on the 15-day DL on Saturday with a strained right elbow, not only robbing the A's of their most experienced starter but also taking away their best bargaining chip with the trade deadline approaching.

And although the A's aren't jumping to conclusions about how much time Sheets could miss, the veteran pitcher expressed concern about whether he'll be able to return at all this season.

That news put a damper on an otherwise encouraging afternoon as the A's walloped the Chicago White Sox 10-2 at the Oakland Coliseum.

Sheets developed swelling in his elbow following his last start Monday against Boston, an outing in which his velocity was noticeably lower than in previous starts.

It's not an encouraging development considering he missed all of the 2009 season after having surgery on the elbow to repair a torn flexor tendon.

Sheets is 4-9 with a 4.53 ERA in 20 starts, and although his numbers haven't been pretty, a silver lining was that he appeared healthy most of the season and was eating up innings."